Les Sources de Caudalie
Back to the source
Mighty vine estate
Luxury French hotel Les Sources de Caudalie is like a country village from an antique postcard, especially with its Château du Thil, which you can book exclusively. Top regional wines can be found in bottles, barrels and infused into massages: start in the Vinothérapie Spa – the birthplace of Caudalie’s grape-based beauty products – then wander to the lake bar for house vintages. Overindulge at the Michelin-starred restaurant, then cycle it off before a lesson with tennis coach, Julien. But, staying here, you’ve already got a run of aces.
Facilities
Rooms
60, including 21 suites.
Checkout
11.45am. Earliest check-in, 3.30pm.
More Details
Rates exclude a buffet breakfast of fresh pastries and breads, charcuterie, fruits, cereals, yoghurts, cheeses, eggs and bacon ( €18 a person a day if staying at Château le Thil, otherwise €26 a person, each day).
Also
Most ground-floor public areas and bedrooms are wheelchair accessible, and there are paved walkways around the grounds.
Fitness Center
Free Internet Access
Laundry
Pet Friendly
On-Site Restaurant
Room Service
Spa
At the Hotel
Château Smith Haut Lafitte winery, tennis court and coach, small farm, bikes, gym and personal trainer, and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV with DVD player, iPod dock, minibar, free bottled water, Nespresso coffee machine and tea-making facilities.
Our Favourite Rooms
Decorated by French wedding-dress designer Delphine Manivet, the waterside île aux Oiseaux Suite is one seriously romantic honeymoon hideaway. If you’re celebrating a special event, or are to the château born, book the elegant 18th-century Château Le Thil in its entirety: it's a five-minute drive from the main hotel.
Poolside
You’re spoilt for swimming options here; there are three pools and a hot tub to choose from. You’ll need to book a treatment to use the spa pool – what a bother – but the rest are open to all. The main indoor pool is set in a converted barn with original beams; the floor of the pool is emblazoned with a print by photographer Mathilde de l’Ecotais. Open from May to October, the heated outdoor pool is surrounded by elegant, sun-blessed loungers. The water for the outdoor hot tub is drawn from a natural hot-spring, 540 metres beneath the earth; the tub is suitably shaped like an old wine-press and is open all-year round.
Spa
Not just any spa, this is the Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa, the birthplace of Caudalie’s wine-based lotions and potions. There are 19 treatment rooms, three for couples and some with private barrel baths, and a small indoor swimming pool with built-in seats from which to admire the hotel’s picturesque grounds pre- or post-treatment. Don’t be fooled by the the spa’s luxurious woodshack look: treatments here are high-tech; Caudalie employ recent scientific discoveries to squeeze each and every mineral out of their grapes and vines. If a single treatment isn’t decadent enough, book a full- or half-day ritual; couples can try the Vines for Lovers ritual, which includes a 50-minute facial treatment, a Fleur de Vigne candle massage and a romantic barrel bath filled with natural spring water drawn from 540 metres below the hotel. For weekend pampering sessions, you'll need to book at least three treatments, and we recommend booking all your spa sessions at least a month in advance.
Packing Tips
Leave as much space in your suitcase as possible to fill with bottles of Smith Haut Lafitte wine.
Also
A stroll through the gardens is like a wander through a contemporary sculpture park. Some of the large metal sculptures are identifiable as animals – it’s hard to miss Barry Flanagan’s large hare sculpture as you come up the drive!
Children
Kids of all ages are welcome. Babysitting costs €38 an hour and must be booked 48 hours in advance. The hotel can provide baby cots, changing mats, bottle-sterilising and warming facilities, highchairs, toys, books, DVDs, arm bands and kids bikes.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
On a sunny day, sit out on La Grand'Vigne’s terrace overlooking the hotel’s lake and picturesque grounds. In the evening, take a table by the window to watch the sun set over the vineyards.
Dress Code
Embody effortless elegance at La Grand'Vigne; save your jeans and checked-shirts for La Table du Lavoir.
Hotel Restaurant
The hotel has three restaurants; head to the two-Michelin-star-awarded La Grand’Vigne for a sophisticated fine-dining experience, wine-infused Rouge for brunches and sharing plates, and La Table du Lavoir for a more relaxed – yet still exceptional – meal. Set in an orangery overlooking the lake on one side and vegetable garden on the other, La Grand’Vigne is run by world-renowned chef Nicolas Masse. He’s befriended local fishermen, farmers and the hotel’s gardener (who tends to a plot next door), to ensure he always gets the tastiest ingredients for his seasonal menus. Can’t choose between lamb or lobster? Ask restaurant manager Pierre Couturier for his picks from the à la carte. To experience Masse at his culinary best, order the tasting menu, which features traditional French fare and his own unique creations; of course, this should be accompanied by head sommelier, Aurélien Farrouil’s wine pairings. The smell of meat roasting on the huge period fireplace will be sure to draw you into La Table du Lavoir. From the vintage gingham tablecloths to the braised beef stew with duck liver, vegetables and pickles, this easygoing, bistro-style restaurant has a real farm-to-table feel. Take your time browsing the seasonal menu, written on antique laundry beaters (a reference to the building’s past as a wash-house for local winegrower’s wives): choosing between French favourites such as roasted duck breast and grilled sea bream and fennel-stuffed conchiglioni or tomato confit is très difficile. The Rouge wine bar tasting room is lined with bottles and crates from across Bordeaux and the southwest. Take a seat around the sleek, custom-built bar and get (well) acquainted with Bordeaux’s finest while tucking into foie gras and Iberian hams, or book in for a decadent poolside brunch.
Hotel Bar
More traditional in style, the French Paradox bar is decorated with classical artworks and antiques, and has deep leather armchairs to sink into while sampling armagnacs, cognacs and whiskies from the dark-wood bar. Our favourite bit is its direct access to a wine cellar where 1,200 bottles are stored – a small fraction of Les Sources de Caudalie’s 16,000-bottle cellar. Head sommelier Aurélien Farrouil knows every nook and cranny of the cellar and has selected his favourite 16 reds and whites for the bar.
Last Orders
La Grand'Vigne serves breakfast from 7.30am till 10.30am. Lunch at both restaurants is, from noon to 2pm, and dinner from 7pm to 10pm. Rouge opens from 10am till 10pm (6pm in low season), and the French Paradox bar is open 9am till midnight.
Room Service
In the main hotel, have a baker’s basket breakfast brought to your room between 7.30am and noon. Snacks are available all day, and meals from the restaurant 12.15pm–1.45pm and 7.15pm–9.45pm. (There's no room service at Le Château du Thil.)
Planes
Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Fly direct from across the UK and Europe, or connect in Paris or London if travelling from further afield. Call Smith24 to arrange your flights; they'll happily arrange transfers – €98 each way for up to three guests – too.
Trains
The closest train station is Bordeaux-Saint-Jean. Paris, Toulouse and Biarritz are just over two hours away by train. Call our Smith24 team of travel experts to book your tickets and arrange a transfer from the station to the hotel.
Automobiles
You’ll need a car to explore beyond the hotel; our Smith24 team can organise a rental for you to pick up at the airport. However, if you just plan to tour Bordeaux's magnificent monuments and markets, you can borrow their electric BMW i3 for an additional cost. The hotel has free on-site valet parking.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
You’ll never be at a loss for things to do in the hotel. Explore the surrounding countryside on one of the hotel’s bikes, or for something a little less energetic, take in the views on a private horse-and-carriage ride around the winery. Art lovers can appreciate the hotel’s sculpture collection on a guided tour of the estate. There’s a tennis court a few 100 metres away and the hotel has rackets and balls you can borrow for a friendly match or lesson with their coach, Julien. Learn to cook with panache – or at least try to – in a class with chef Nicolas Masse; he passes on his passion for fine dining two Saturday mornings a month. Pair this with a wine tasting in Rouge: the uninitiated can book a lesson with head sommelier, Aurélien Farrouil and learn the ABC of aligotés, barolos and cabernets. Take a tour of Château Smith Haut Lafitte winery next door, or another nearby vineyard – Bordeaux’s finest are less than an hour’s drive away and La Cité du Vin hosts talks, tours and tastings alongside their permanent wine-themed exhibitions. The teetering Gothic towers and grand Neo-classical squares of Bordeaux are just 30 minutes away. Break up trips to the Musée des Beaux-Arts and CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art with cups of coffee and copious cannelés in riverside cafes. La Dune du Pilat in Arcachon Bay are just an hour away by car; it’s a long way to the top of Europe’s tallest sand dunes, but the view is worth the climb. Board the Caudalie (the hotel’s boat) and explore the area from the Atlantic on a day trip to the Île aux Oiseaux’s cabanes tchanquées (wooden houses on stilts), Banc d’Arguin National Park and the Cap Ferret peninsula.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
